Musical instrument



March 11, 1941.

F. A. STAlNBROOK 2,234,482

MUS I CAL INSTRUMENT Filed Nov. 18, 1939 fizz 572% M72 [@z'zzhwi am BM, I *3 28* M93 Patented Mar. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Forest A. Stainbrook, Boston, Mass.

Application November 18, 1939, Serial No. 305,057

6 Claims.

This invention relates to musical instruments of the wind type and more particularly to improvements in mouth-blown wind instruments which consist essentially of a series of tubes of different lengths open at one end, with a blow pipe arranged to direct a stream of air across the open end of any one of the tubes.

It is an object of the invention to provide an instrument of the type described which is easy and economical to manufacture, which is easy to operate, and which is capable of sounding clear true tones.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description thereof and to the drawing of which Figure 1 is a perspective view of an instrument embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of barrel for a musical instrument of the kind shown in Figure 1.

As indicated on the drawing, the instrument comprises a barrel [0 which may include a molded portion made of a suitable plastic and a central core or stem [2. The molded portion is formed with a series of hollow bores [4 of different lengths suitable for the emission of properly graded notes. As indicated in Figure 4, the barrel may be molded in the form of a series of tubes I6 which are laterally connected by portions [8 of plastic material molded integrally with the walls of the tubes l6. The stem l2, which is preferably made of wood or other equivalent material, is cylindrical in shape and has a driving fit in the opening surrounded by the tubes l6, one end of the stem l2 being shaped in the form of a suitable handle 20 of convenient size. The other end of the stem i2 is flush with the open ends of the tubes l6, these ends being in a common plane and constituting the end of the barrel l0. Against the end of the barrel is mounted an end plate 24 which is of metal, plastic, or other suitable material. The plate is provided with a circular series of apertures 26 arranged to register with corresponding bores [4 so that the apertures 26 form the mouths or openings of the bores M. In order to maintain the apertures 26 in proper registry with their respective bores, the central portion of the plate 24 is indented transversely as at 28 so as to form on its under face an elongated boss which enters a transverse groove 22 in the stem l2 andthus keys the plate 24 to the stem I2. The plate 24 is preferably provided with a flange 30 which is pressed into binding engagement with the peripheral portion of the barrel adjacent to the plate. This flange, in conjunction with the key 28 and the tight fit of the stem 12 within the molded portion of the barrel, serves to lock the parts of the barrel together so that they rotate as a unit.

The bores M are shown as cylindrical in shape, but they may have any other desired or convenient cross section. The shape of the openings 26 is important since the quality of the tones depends thereon in large measure. As shown, each of these apertures 26 is defined by an edge having a straight portion 34 and an arcuate portion 36 which extends from one end of the straight portion 34 to the other. The straight portion 34 is thus a chord of the circle defined by the arcuate portion 36 and is the portion which is nearest to the periphery of the plate. In the example illustrated in Figure 3, the chord 34 subtends an angle of somewhat less than at the center of its circle, but this can be varied considerably within the scope of the present invention. The radial distance of the edge portions 34 from the center of the plate 24 may be uniform as shown in Figure 3, or may, if preferred, be varied slightly in order to improve the tones obtained from bores of different lengths.

A blow pipe 40 and the barrel ID are rotatably connected by any suitable means, the blow pipe having a nozzle 42 which, as indicated in Figure 1, is relatively flat so as to direct a thin jet of air toward one or another of the straight edges 34 of the plate 24, the jet having a width approximately equal to the length of the edge 34. When the instrument is in use, the pipe is held stationary, the barrel being rotated by manipulation of the handle 20 to place any selected one of the apertures 26 in line with the nozzle 42. A suitable mouth piece 44 may be mounted on the other end of the blow pipe if desired.

In order to support the blow pipe in position at the end of the barrel ID, a cup-shaped supporting member 46 may be provided, this member having apertures or slots in its side walls at diametrically opposite points to receive and hold the portion of the blow pipe 40 adjacent to the nozzle 42. A cap 48 is frictionally mounted on the support member 46, this cap being suitably notched to fit over the portions of the blow pipe projecting from the support member 46. The support member is centrally perforated to receive a fastening element 50 which may be a wood screw, a knurled or barbed brad, or other equivalent element. This element passes loosely through the aperture in the cup 46 and through the center of the plate 24, being embedded and anchored in the stem l2. This permits free relative rotation between the barrel and the blow pipe, but holds these members together. The fastening element 50, is, as indicated in Figures 2 and 3, arranged in the axis of the barrel In so that the pipe 40 thus swings about the axis of the barrel, or, if the pipe is held stationary, the barrel is rotatable about its own axis.

Figure shows an alternative form of barrel consisting of a cylinder 60 of wood, plastic, or other suitable material, having a circular series of bores 62 extending in from the end 64 thereof parallel to the axis of the cylinder, these bores being of different lengths to sound different notes. At the opposite end a suitable handle 65 is formed or secured. The end 64 of the cylinder is transversely grooved as at 68 for keyed engagement with a perforated plate 24 which is adapted to be fitted over and secured to the end of the barrel so as to cover the end, the apertures in the plate registering with the respective open ends of the bores 62.

It is evident that various modifications and changes may be made in the embodiments of the invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit or scope thereof as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A musical instrument comprising a blow pipe, and a barrel attached to said blow pipe and rotatable about its own axis relatively thereto, said barrel having a circular series of bores of different lengths opening at one end thereof in a common plane, said pipe being substantially perpendicular to said axis and having a nozzle arranged to direct a stream of air across the open end of any of said bores.

2. A musical instrument comprising a blow pipe, and a barrel attached to said blow pipe and rotatable about its own axis relatively thereto, said barrel having a plane end with a circular series of openings therein arranged around the axis of the barrel and parallel bores of different lengths extending within the barrel from said openings, each said opening having a contour including a straight edge portion remote from said axis, said blow pipe terminating in a nozzle arranged to direct a stream of air towards the straight edge of said openings.

3. A musical instrument comprising a blow pipe, 2, barrel attached to said blow pipe and rotatable about its own axis relatively thereto, said barrel having a circular series of bores of different lengths opening at one end thereof in a common plane and arranged around the axis thereof, a plate secured to and covering said end of the barrel, said plate having apertures therein registering with said bores respectively, each said aperture having a straight edge portion remote from the axis, said blow pipe having a nozzle arranged to direct a stream of air toward any of said straight edge portions.

4. A musical instrument comprising a blow pipe, and a barrel attached to said blow pipe and rotatable about its own axis relatively thereto, said barrel having a circular series of bores of different lengths opening at one end thereof in a common plane, a circular plate covering said end of the barrel, said plate having a series of apertures therein registering respectively with the open ends of said bores, each said aperture having a shape defined by a circular arc and a chord, said blow pipe having a nozzle arranged to direct a stream of air across any of said apertures toward the edge thereof defined by the chord.

5. A musical instrument comprising a barrel having a series of bores of different lengths opening at one end of the barrel in a common plane and arranged around the axis thereof, a blow pipe having a nozzle, a cup-shaped supporting element disposed centrally against the end of the barrel and having diametrically opposed notches in its side walls to receive said pipe, a cap frictionally fitted over said cup to hold said pipe in place, and a fastening element projecting loosely through the bottom of said cup and fixed in said barrel in line with the axis thereof, whereby said barrel may be rotated relatively to the blow pipe to bring the opening of any of said bores into line with said nozzle. 7

6. A musical instrument comprising a barrel consisting of a central core and a molded member fitted on said core, said member comprising a series of tubular elements of different lengths laterally joined and opening at one end of the barrel in a common plane, an end plate covering said end of the barrel and provided with apertures registering with the openings of said elements, a blow pipe extending transversely of the barrel and adjacent to said end plate, and means attaching said blow pipe to said barrel for relative rotation, said means including a support member for said blow pipe, and a fastening element extending loosely through said support member and embedded in said barrel in line with the axis thereof.

FOREST A. STAINBROOK. 

